20 Nov 2014 Beachy Head cloud 8/8 E 3/4 cool at first

Bob covered Birling lane and then Birling to Belle Tout loop and Belle Tout wood also Shooters Bottom. SL also covered the Birling to Shooters Bottom area.
Little evidence of any new migrants with the juv. Dartford Warbler still present, and just low numbers of diurnal migration recorded.
Combined Totals as below:

Peregrine 2
Golden Plover 1 E
Tawny Owl 2
Rock Pipit 2
Meadow Pipit 10 E
Stonechat 2
Blackbird 21
S Thrush 4
Redwing 1
Dartford Warbler 1 juv.
Chiffchaff 2
Goldcrest 2
Goldfinch 70 E
Raven 2
Corn Bunting 2 in song

19 Nov 2014 Beachy Head Overcast mild SE 1-2

We covered all the main sites on the Headland including the Cliff Path. 2 Black Redstarts were still present at Birling but otherwise the area was very quiet although still a steady passage of Goldfinches moving east.

Brent Goose 12 over Shooters Bottom and Hodcombe
Peregrine 1
Skylark 40
Rock Pipit 3
Robin 15
Black Redstart 2
Redwing 1
Song Thrush 6
Goldcrest 2
Raven 3
Goldfinch 380 E

Late news for the 18 Nov:
Wood Lark 1 over Shooters Bottom
Black Redstart 4 at Birling
Dartford Warbler 1
Blackcap 1
Chiffchaff 1

Rock Pipit at Birling

 

Party of 12 Brents flying over Shooters Bottom.

Our white-headed Blackbird which we occasionally see only in

the Hotel Garden over the last 5 years or so.

16 Nov 2014 Beachy Head Overcast with showers cool.

RJF and JK were birding some of the sites on the Headland meeting up with RDME and also AQ and MEN. Still small numbers of migrants seen with a reasonable passage of Woodpigeons and Goldfinches . A late Swallow was also seen and the Dartford Warbler was still present.
Combined totals as follows:

Grey Heron 1
Sparrowhawk 1
Common Buzzard 1
Kestrel 1
Peregrine 2
Lapwing 5
Wood Pigeon 4,200 E
Tawny Owl 2
Great-spotted Woodpecker 1
Skylark 50
Swallow 1 E
Rock Pipit 2
Wren 19
Robin 10
Black Redstart 3
Stonechat 7
Dartford Warbler 1
Blackcap 2
Chiffchaff 2
Goldcrest 13
Siskin 2 E
Goldfinch 470 E
Corn Bunting 1 singing

15th November 2014 Beachy Head SE1 Rain at first

We arrived to rain so sat in the car for an hour before covering Birling Gap Lane and the Belle Tout Loop.
Black Redstart 2
Stonechat 2
Fieldfare 1
Song Thrush 12
Chiffchaff 2
Goldcrest 5

Black Redstart at Birling Gap



9 Nov 2014 Beachy Head Overcast at first becoming brighter later SW 1

We met up with JK, RJF and MK at Birling and covered all the main sites on the Headland. RDME visited Whitbread Hollow, Cow Gap and the Gully as well as several sites on the Head.
Reasonable arrival of Thrushes (including 6 Ring Ouzels) and Robins, with small numbers of other migrants including the Yellow-browed Warbler showing on and off in Belle Tout wood, and a juvenile type Dartford Warbler. A few Goldfinches moving east with a Short-eared Owl and Marsh Harrier both departing east.
Combined totals as follows:

Common Buzzard 2
Marsh Harrier 1 E @ 11.35
Tawny Owl 2
Short-eared Owl 1 S and then drifted off E @ 10.45
Great-spotted Woodpecker 1
Skylark c50 with c 25 moving over the area.
Rock Pipit 2
Robin c45
Stonechat 2
Blackbird c50
Ring Ouzel 6 in Cow Gap.
Redwing 5
Song Thrush 20
Dartford Warbler 1
Yellow-browed Warbler 1 B/T wood
Chiffchaff 7
Goldcrest 6
Goldfinch c100 (70 W)
Siskin 6 W
Redpoll 1
Bullfinch 2
Corn Bunting 1 singing.

 

 

Juvenile type Dartford Warbler above Belle Tout wood.

 Redwing near Belle Tout wood.


(taken by David Cooper)
Short-eared Owl over Hodcombe

8 Nov 2014 Beachy Head Overcast cool SSW 8

Gale force winds and we sea-watched from Birling from 08.00-09.00 and from below Cow Gap from 10.30-12.15. Also covered Belle Tout wood and the walk from Holywell to the Gully below Cow Gap. Met up with LP int the Gully.

Great-crested Grebe 1 E
Fulmar 2
Gannet 140 W
Little Egret 6+ off Birling
Brent Goose 43 W
Common Scoter 5 W
Red-legged Partridge 3
Curlew 1 W
Pomarine Skua 2 W @ 10.50 (1 Ad @ 1 Juv)
Arctic Skua 1 W
Bonxie 3 W
Mediterranean Gull 1 Ad w/p W
Common Gull 20 W
Herring Gull 350 resting in fields near Birling.
Kittiwake 120 W
Guillemot 8 W
Tawny Owl 2
Great-spotted Woodpecker 1
Rock Pipit 2
Stonechat 2
Goldcrest 2
Long-tailed Tit 6
Corn Bunting 5

( Both taken by David Cooper)

Little Egrets off Birling

 

Gannets off Cow Gap

6 Nov 2014 Beachy Head cloud 1/8 NW 2/3 to SW 2/3, cold at first

RDME went ringing in Whitbread Hollow again but not a lot of change from yesterday with the Cetti's being re-trapped and which now has become our latest date for Beachy. SL walked from Birling towards Crowlink and then covered the Belle Tout loop and wood. The Yellow-browed Warbler showed briefly on two occasions and a late Wheatear near Birling

Combined totals with birds ringed are shown in brackets.

Common Buzzard 1
Curlew 3 off Birling
Tawny Owl 2
Stock Dove 300 N off B/T wood
Dunnock 10
Wheatear 1
Cetti’s Warbler 1 (same bird re-trapped!)
Blackcap 1 (1)
Chiffchaff 5 (3)
Yellow-browed Warbler 1 B/T wood
Goldcrest 5 (1)
Long tailed Tit 8
Raven 1
Jay 3
Redpoll 1
Bullfinch 2 (1)

5th Nov 2014 Beachy Head Cloud 6/8 wind NNW 5, cold

RDME was ringing in Whitbread Hollow and also visited Belle Tout wood, meeting up with several of the regular Beachy birders. Still small numbers of Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs with a Firecrest and a Cetti's Warbler trapped.

Birds ringed are shown in brackets.

Woodpigeon 700 W
Tawny Owl 2 - 1 Hollow and 1 B/T Wood
Blackbird 10 (4)
Cetti’s Warbler 1 (1 – it was a male on wing length and weight).
Chiffchaff 6 (2)
Firecrest 1
Goldcrest 8 (1)
Long-tailed Tit 4
Raven 3
Bullfinch 2

taken by Bob Edgar)

Cetti's Warbler ringed in Whitbread Hollow.

4 Nov 2014 Beachy Head Cloud 3/8, bright sun W2

RDME had a brief visit to Belle Tout wood and Shooters Bottom and LP also covered Holywell. Just a few late migrants including the Yellow-browed Warbler still in Bell Tout wood and Dartford Warbler in Shooters Bottom.

Tawny Owl 2
Kestrel 1
Great-spotted Woodpecker 1
Alba wag 1
Song Thrush 1
Dartford Warbler 1
Blackcap 3
Chiffchaff 3
Yellow-browed Warbler 1
Goldcrest 2
Firecrest 1

Red Admiral 1

2nd November 2014 Beachy Head SW6 with rain

SL visited Belle Tout wood around midday where the Yellow-browed Warbler was still occasionally showing.

Tawny Owl 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Green Woodpecker 1
Blackcap 1 female
Chiffchaff 1
Yellow-browed Warbler 1
Goldcrest 2

Yellow-browed Warbler at Belle Tout Wood



1 Nov 2014 Beachy Head Overcast with occasional light drizzle becoming fine and mild. SW 2-3

We met up with RJF, JK and MK at Birling and covered virtually all the sites on the Head meeting up with RDME at Belle Tout who had covered the Birling and Belle Tout area including Cornish Farm track. An interesting day with a Yellow-browed Warbler roaming the Belle Tout area with a small party of birds, a fine adult male Dartford Warbler which was out 6th different individual of the Autumn, and a Ring-necked Parakeet which is our first record since 2002. 500+ Wood Pigeons moved SW over the Headland with small numbers of Meadow Pipits and Goldfinches moving W.

Roger and Liz had a Great Grey Shrike at Hodcombe today

Sparrowhawk 1-2
Kestrel 1
Peregrine 3
Curlew 1 off Birling
Stock Dove c35
Wood Pigeon 500+ SW
Ring-necked Parakeet 1 over B/T wood (our first record since 2002).
Tawny Owl 2
Great-spotted Woodpecker 1
Great Grey Shrike 1 in Hodcombe.
Meadow Pipit 15 W
Alba Wagtail 4 W
Wren 10
Black Redstart 1
Stonechat 4
Ring Ouzel 3 N high over Cornish Farm
Dartford Warbler 1 ad male (Our 6th individual this Autumn)
Yellow-browed Warbler 1 B/T area with small flock of birds.
Chiffchaff 5
Goldcrest 5
Raven 3
Starling 200
Goldfinch 70 W
Reed Bunting 2 W
Corn Bunting 1 singing

Painted Lady 1

(taken by David Cooper)

Yellow-browed Warbler at Belle Tout

 

Weasel at Birling

Our three birding friends-JK, RJF and MK (who is over from

Trinidad), in Shooters Bottom